The award, which will be presented during the agency change of responsibility ceremony Nov. 18, is for support DLA gave for "joint and combined warfighting, operational exercises, humanitarian assistance operations, and disaster recovery" from Nov. 1, 2009, to April 30, 2011, according to the citation.

"This is a very significant award, approved by the secretary of defense, in recognition of the DLA enterprise's focus on the warfighter," DLA Director Navy Vice Adm. Alan Thompson said. "It recognizes the entire DLA team for their support, primarily for the drawdown in Iraq, the surge and sustainment of increased operations in Afghanistan and various humanitarian disaster responses over the last three years."

The award citation, signed by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and dated Oct. 4, highlights DLA's end-to-end management of eight supply chains that cover more than 5 million items and support 1,900 weapons systems.

"The Defense Logistics Agency worked tirelessly to significantly increase operational tempo and deliver supply chain excellence in support of America's joint warfighting team in military actions worldwide, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan," the citation reads. "Connecting warfighter demand with superb end-to-end logistics solutions, the agency deployed military and civilian personnel in multiple capacities, delivering unsurpassed logistics around the globe."

The JMUA, authorized by the secretary of defense on June 10, 1981, is awarded to joint activities for meritorious achievement or service for actions in combat, a declared national emergency or extraordinary circumstances that involve national interest, according to DoD Manual 1348.33, Manual of Military Decorations and Awards.

Thompson praised the efforts by DLA employees that led to the honor.

"Every member of the DLA team should take pride in receiving this award and be proud of their contributions to the DLA mission," he said.

The award consists of service ribbons for military members, lapel pins for civilian employees and a unit streamer for the DLA flag, Brad Bunn, DLA Human Resources director, wrote in a memo to the DLA Executive Board. All personnel assigned to the agency for at least 30 days during the period covered by the award are eligible to wear the appropriate insignia. Ribbons and lapel pins will be issued to current employees, according to the memo.

"Congratulations to the DLA team for this well-deserved recognition," Bunn wrote. "As we lean forward to face the challenges of the future, it is fitting to celebrate the significant accomplishments of the past marked by this award."

As a Department of Defense combat support agency, DLA provides the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, other federal agencies, and joint and allied forces with a variety of logistics, acquisition and technical services. The agency sources and provides nearly 100 percent of the consumable items America's military forces need to operate, from food, fuel and energy, to uniforms, medical supplies, and construction and barrier equipment. DLA also supplies more than 80 percent of the military's spare parts.